Peter, I knew I would regret not going, but work and childcare duties had a hold on me this afternoon and evening.
I am definitely a fan of the '87 Tondonia, but it sounds like I have to get my hands on some of that '87 Bosconia.
My favorite LdH wine to date is the 1970 Tondonia–edging out the '64 and '47 Bosconias. I’ve encountered some bottle variation with the '81 Bosconia, but it can be outstanding.
1987 R. Lopez de Heredia Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva Rioja. Ah, we are in the land of fragrant, pretty bouquets. This one reminds me of polished furniture, persimmon, orange rind, flowers, caramel and anise. In the mouth, it is just so approachable and easy to drink. One gets no sense whatsoever of aggressive tannin or of anything but flawless balance and overall seamlessness. It is medium-bodied and is on the lean side, though I would hardly call it delicate or under-fruited. It has cranberry and cherry flavors, juicy acidity, and a spicy, dry finish with very good length.
1981 R. Lopez de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Vina Bosconia. This wine really had people guessing, and not a single one considered Spain, never mind Rioja. I think most were thinking mature Burgundy. In any event, the color is a pale garnet. The nose is the real attraction of this wine—just outstanding. It has a very pretty fragrance of white flowers, crushed red berry juice, cinnamon and a faint woodsiness. It keeps drawing the nose back, both initially and then over the course of the day, as more coffee and old leather notes emerge. In the mouth, it is on the lighter side, with a very strong acid edge, featuring flavors of sour cherry and cranberry to go along with an autumn leaves kind of thing. It is elegant and airy, with lots of personality, but does finish with a slightly detracting sour/acidic edge. However, I’m drinking the final glass right now as I type, 3 days later, and it has put on some weight and is a bit meatier all around—this was a really solid showing!
1970 R. Lopez de Heredia Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva Rioja. Again, I’m experiencing a fabulous Lopez de Heredia nose of leather couch, minerals, cranberry, raspberry and spicy wood, joined later on by coffee overtones. On the palate, there is an intense shot of juicy red berry fruit and dried cherry right up front (Joe tells me this was a very fruity vintage in Rioja) that has immediate appeal. It is more rounded and filled in than the 1987, seeming almost viscous in comparison. It offers a lovely shot of balancing tang on the very long finish. Very nice! It may not be as impressive or showy as the 1946, but I would say I enjoyed drinking this wine even more on this particular evening.
1964 R. Lopez de Heredia Viña Bosconia Gran Reserva Rioja. To me, the nose is a bit brooding, really, with forest floor, dark wood and rich fruit. I actually wrote down “burly”, though I am sure this is a relative term amongst this style of wine. In the mouth, I find this to be surprisingly meaty and masculine with dark berries and black cherry fruit over polished but fuller tannins. Again, though, I find the seamless texture and beautiful layering that I have become accustomed to in my exploration of this bodega.
1947 R. Lopez de Heredia Viña Bosconia Gran Reserva Rioja. I was shocked to see just how dark and healthy the color was on this wine—in fact I would say it was the darkest wine of any older LdH I’ve tasted. Also, in the glass, it looks quite heavy on the glycerin, coating the inside of the wine glass as you swirl. The nose is a very interesting blend of light airy aromatics and a darker, earthy underbelly. Later, secondary nuances of sweet caramel, spicy wood and some alcohol notes come on, but not so much the old cracked leather and fading flowers I was expecting for some reason. This bouquet seemed like it was still waiting to really strut its stuff in like another 20 years. In the mouth, this is almost unctuous when compared to some of the younger wines—with great richness and mouthfeel to go along with sweet cherry fruit and tangy acidity. And the tannins are right there—giving the impression of a wine not 60 years old but more like 6. The finish just goes on and on, showing impressive persistence. On the whole, I think it is in some ways too young to drink now and is really only showing some fraction of what is under the kimono! It was a great experience to taste this wine.
The nice thing is some of the newer wines are also lovely, like the '99 Bosconia Reserva, which does seem to need a bit of time.
1999 R. Lopez de Heredia Rioja Reserva Vina Bosconia. The first thing I like is the gentle, pretty and welcoming bouquet that sports soft raspberry fruit, caramel and powdered milk chocolate. In the mouth, there is solid presence and the texture is well-knit. Even though it is not a big fruity wine—in keeping with the house style—it is certainly more fruit-centric than the other vintages cited above. There are some moderately drying tannins and a little acid kick on the finish.
1999 R. Lopez de Heredia Rioja Reserva Vina Bosconia. The Bosconia is tight on the nose, with some musky animal notes, leather, dark earth and grilled pepper aromas. It feels young on the palate, as well, where chalky tannins in the mid-palate tamp down the gentle entry before it can really flesh out. It does find some tangy red fruit, earth and soft acidity toward the back and edges of the palate, but overall it seems to just be showing hints of what it will have to offer down the road.
Also, IMHO, the '96 Bosconia Reserva is not to be missed!
1996 R. Lopez de Heredia Rioja Reserva Vina Bosconia. Light ruby color, with a nice bright sheen. When you bring this up to your nose, you’re greeted by a soaring and elegantly perfumed nose of mixed red berries, caramel, tar and leather. Very nice. In the mouth, it is bright and tangy with fresh red fruits and a nice earthy quality underneath. It is very well-balanced and shows both excellent cut and good length. It turns more structured toward the end and finishes with a clean, pretty finish. This is a very nice traditionally-made Rioja. I found myself going back to this bottle more than any other during the course of the evening to go with the food.
So, Peter, send me an e-mail with the prices, willya?
Thanks again,
Michael
Nice lineup PMC. Thanks for sharing. Was this a tasting dinner?